Pearls Before Swine was an American psychedelic folk band formed by Tom Rap… Read Full Bio ↴Pearls Before Swine was an American psychedelic folk band formed by Tom Rapp in 1965 in Melbourne, Florida, United States. The group signed to ESP Disk and recorded One Nation Underground, a fairly successful release that was followed by the anti-war Balaklava (1968). In the next few years, Rapp often referred onstage, not quite seriously, to the group as "the house band for the SDS" (Students for a Democratic Society). They continued to release albums and to tour until the 1970s, but Rapp retired in 1973 and became a lawyer, practising in Florida. Tom Rapp died in 2018.

She's Gone
Pearls Before Swine Lyrics

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Rapp

She's gone
She's rolled up the windows
Put all the curtains away
And your hair isn't silver
It's gray
Stop kidding yourself

You're old
You're old
So she's gone
She's been saving up seconds
And putting them away
In a secret kind of bank
And she's so very careful
To say thanks
But old men
Are suddenly old men
Old men
She's walking away
All your life
Suddenly she's yesterday
All your life
And walking away
All your life
And taking away
All your life
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye

Goodbye
Goodbye

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Pearls Before Swine's song "She's Gone" convey the reality of aging and the feeling of loss that comes with it. The singer is addressing an older man who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that his partner has left him. The song begins with the line "She's gone", which sets the somber tone for the rest of the lyrics. The image of rolled up windows and curtains being put away suggest that the person who left is trying to leave behind a clean and tidy space. Then the line, "And your hair isn't silver / It's gray" evokes the idea of aging and mortality.

The singer then tells the old man to stop kidding himself and face the truth that he is old. The repetition of the line "You're old" emphasizes the point and adds a sense of finality to it. The second verse speaks of the woman who left, suggesting that she had been saving up time in a secret bank. The line "But old men / Are suddenly old men" implies that the man is now realizing just how much time has passed and how quickly it has gone. The chorus repeats the phrase "She's walking away / All your life / Suddenly she's yesterday" which highlights the fleeting nature of time and how quickly moments can pass.

Overall, "She's Gone" is a poignant reflection on aging and loss, and the inevitability of time. The song's somber lyrics are accentuated by the melancholy melody, which adds to the mood of the piece.

Line by Line Meaning

She's gone
The person he loved is no longer with him

She's rolled up the windows
She has closed herself off from him

Put all the curtains away
She has removed all the barriers to her departure

And your hair isn't silver
You are not aging gracefully

It's gray
You are showing your age

Stop kidding yourself
You can't deny the truth

You're old
You are no longer young

She's been saving up seconds
She has been preparing to leave for a long time

And putting them away
She has been storing up time to use later

In a secret kind of bank
She has been keeping her plan a secret

And she's so very careful
She is being cautious in how she handles the situation